Hostess is going out of business, striking fear into many hearts about a Twinkie-less future. I am sure that we can survive without these preservative-laden, sugary sweets, but if the craving hits, now is a good time to turn to homemade versions. I list two version below: a recipe using typical ingredients that will more closely resemble the original, and a second healthier recipe that is gluten- and dairy-free.

By the way, if you want to make Twinkies, you will need to buy a Twinkie pan. But you can make the Hostess Cupcakes or Sno-Ball Cupcakes with basic kitchen supplies. Amazon sells a "Cream Canoe Pan" that will work well.

Homemade Twinkies: This recipe doesn’t try to be healthy, but it's rather similar to the original and is filled with fluffy, seven-minute frosting.

Healthy Twinkies: This dairy-free, gluten-free and grain-free version uses healthier ingredients and is suitable for those on restricted diets too.

Healthy Hostess Cupcakes: This recipe remakes the cupcakes to include maple syrup, quinoa flour, coconut butter and other more healthy ingredients. They look the same, are sweet to taste — and delicious too.

Healthy Version: I couldn't find a specific recipe for healthier version of the Sno-Ball, however it would be easy to use the recipe for the Hostess cupcakes and adapt it to use for the Sno-Ball Cupcakes!

The opinions expressed by MNN Bloggers and those providing comments are theirs alone, and do not reflect the opinions of MNN.com. While we have reviewed their content to make sure it complies with our Terms and Conditions, MNN is not responsible for the accuracy of any of their information.